Italian Rolled Beef Dinner

Name: Beef Braciole Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 150 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 6 thin slices boneless top round (about 2 pounds), sliced 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch thick.; 12 large cloves garlic.; 1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley (approximately 1 small bunch), plus more for garnish.; 1 cup shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese, plus more for serving.; 2 tablespoons seasoned dry breadcrumbs.; Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.; 12 thin slices prosciutto.; 2 tablespoons olive oil.; 2 cups dry red wine.; 2 cups beef broth.; 1 can (28-ounce) crushed tomatoes, preferably a good imported Italian brand.; 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning.; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour.; Pinch sugar if needed.

This beef roll is pure comfort food. Take thin beef slices, stuff them with herbs and cheese, roll them up tight. Cook them slow in sauce till the meat gets super soft. Serve it hot with pasta or bread to soak up all the good stuff.

Featured in Family Dinner Ideas.

By Fatiha

Updated on Sun, 05 Jan 2025 01:24:50 GMT

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A plate of rolled beef stuffed with a savory filling, topped with herbs and breadcrumbs, served in a rich sauce. | zestplate.com

Beef Braciole is a special Italian dish that's easy to make at home. It's made with thin beef slices rolled up with tasty fillings, then cooked slowly in wine and tomato sauce. Perfect for Sunday dinner with family.

Why Make This Recipe

This recipe comes from an old Italian cookbook and always turns out great. It looks fancy but isn't hard to make. You can cook it ahead of time, and it actually tastes better the next day. Perfect when you have people coming over.

What You Need

Thin Beef Slices: Get top round or flank steak cut thin
Garlic: Fresh tastes best
Parsley: Adds fresh flavor
Cheese: Parmesan or Romano works
Breadcrumbs: The seasoned kind
Salt and Pepper: Just enough to taste
Prosciutto: Or use regular ham
Olive Oil: For cooking
Red Wine: Adds flavor to the sauce
Beef Broth: Makes the sauce rich
Crushed Tomatoes: For the sauce
Italian Seasoning: Dried herbs work fine
Flour: To thicken the sauce
Sugar: Just a pinch if needed

How to Make It

Heat Oven:: Turn oven to 325 degrees. Make sure rack is in the middle.
Cut Beef:: Cut each beef slice in half to make 12 pieces. This makes them easier to work with.
Make Thin:: Put beef in plastic bag. Pound gently with meat mallet until thin enough to roll.
Cut Garlic:: Chop 4 cloves small for the filling. Slice other 8 cloves for sauce.
Mix Filling:: Mix chopped garlic, parsley, cheese, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper in a bowl.
Roll Up:: Put slice of prosciutto on each beef piece. Spread filling on top. Roll up tight. Put toothpicks in to hold shape.
Brown:: Heat oil in big pot. Cook rolled beef until brown on all sides.
Add Wine:: Pour wine in pot. Let bubble and scrape bottom of pot with spoon.
Make Sauce:: Put in broth, tomatoes, sliced garlic, and Italian seasoning. Put meat back in pot.
Cook:: Cover pot. Put in oven. Turn meat over after one hour. Cook until tender.
Rest:: Take meat out. Cover with foil to keep warm. Take out toothpicks.
Finish Sauce:: Mix flour with some hot sauce from pot. Stir back into pot to make sauce thicker.
Season:: Taste sauce. Add salt, pepper, or pinch of sugar if needed. Pour over meat and serve.

What's So Good About It

Braciole takes simple beef and makes it special. The meat gets tender and soaks up all the good flavors from the cheese, herbs, and sauce. Every bite has different tastes that work together perfectly.

Making the Filling

The filling makes this dish taste so good. Mix breadcrumbs, cheese, and garlic together. Some people add nuts or raisins too. Whatever you pick, make sure not to overstuff the rolls.

A close-up of meatloaf rolls wrapped in bacon, garnished with grated cheese and parsley, simmering in a rich sauce in a round pot. | zestplate.com

Getting Tender Meat

Pound the meat thin - about as thick as a pencil. Cook it slowly in the sauce. This makes the meat so tender it almost melts in your mouth. The sauce flavors soak into the meat while it cooks.

Make It Early

You can make this ahead and keep it in the fridge. It actually tastes better the next day. It freezes well too - just wrap it up tight. Perfect for busy days or when company's coming.

Helpful Tips

Use a plastic bag when pounding meat to keep things clean. Regular ham works if you can't find prosciutto. Put paper under the pot lid while cooking to keep the sauce from drying out.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ What meat should I buy?: Ask your butcher for thin slices of top round beef. They roll up nice and get real tender when cooked slow.
→ Can I make it the day before?: Sure! Roll the meat and brown it, then put it in the fridge. Cook it in sauce next day. You can even freeze the rolls if you want.
→ Sauce too thin?: Mix some flour with hot sauce in a cup, stir it back in. Keep stirring till it thicks up how you like.
→ Can't eat flour?: Use ground up rice crackers instead of bread crumbs. Make sure your broth has no wheat in it too.
→ What wine goes good with it?: Red wine works best - grab a Chianti or something strong and rich.
→ Meat not getting soft enough?: Cook it longer on low heat. Give it time - good meat gets softer the longer it cooks.
→ Rolls coming undone?: Tie them up with cooking string. Take the string off before serving.
→ Filling falling out?: Don't overstuff the rolls. Pat everything down firm before you roll. Toothpicks help hold it together too.

Conclusion

If you like this, try beef rouladen - it's rolled with pickles instead. Or make stuffed beef roll using ground meat and bread inside. For another soft meat dish, cook some osso buco - it falls right off the bone.

Beef Braciole Recipe

Soft beef rolls for dinner.

Prep Time

30 Minutes

Cook Time

120 Minutes

Total Time

150 Minutes

By: Fatiha

Category: Main Dishes

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: Italian

Yield: 6 Servings (12 beef rolls)

Dietary: ~

Ingredients

01 6 thin slices boneless top round (about 2 pounds), sliced 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch thick.

02 12 large cloves garlic.

03 1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley (approximately 1 small bunch), plus more for garnish.

04 1 cup shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese, plus more for serving.

05 2 tablespoons seasoned dry breadcrumbs.

06 Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

07 12 thin slices prosciutto.

08 2 tablespoons olive oil.

09 2 cups dry red wine.

10 2 cups beef broth.

11 1 can (28-ounce) crushed tomatoes, preferably a good imported Italian brand.

12 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning.

13 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour.

14 Pinch sugar if needed.

Instructions

Step 01

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.

Step 02

Cut the top-round slices in half widthwise to get 12 equal pieces. Place them on a cutting board.

Step 03

Gently pound each beef piece to 1/4 to 1/8-inch thickness, using a zipper-top bag to protect the meat.

Step 04

Mince 4 cloves of garlic; slice the remaining 8 cloves.

Step 05

In a small bowl, mix the minced garlic, parsley, cheese, breadcrumbs, salt, and black pepper.

Step 06

Place a slice of prosciutto on each beef piece, then sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of filling over the prosciutto.

Step 07

Roll each beef piece into a cylinder, tucking sides in to secure the filling, and pin with toothpicks.

Step 08

In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the beef rolls in batches, cooking each roll on all sides.

Step 09

Pour wine into the pot, bringing it to a boil while scraping the bottom to get all browned bits. Boil for 2-3 minutes to reduce.

Step 10

Add beef broth, crushed tomatoes, sliced garlic, and Italian seasoning. Return the rolls to the pot and bring to a simmer.

Step 11

OVEN METHOD: Cover with a damp parchment or foil, place the lid, and bake for 1.5-2 hours, turning the rolls after an hour.

Step 12

STOVETOP METHOD: Cover and simmer on low for about 1.5 hours, turning occasionally.

Step 13

SLOW COOKER: Cook on high for 3-4 hours, medium 5-6 hours, or low 7-8 hours.

Step 14

Remove the rolls to a platter, cover with foil to keep warm, and remove the toothpicks.

Step 15

Blend flour with some hot sauce liquid to make a slurry. Stir into the pot sauce and simmer to thicken.

Step 16

Season sauce with salt, black pepper, and sugar if needed. Drizzle over the beef rolls and garnish with parsley.

Notes

You can save money by using domestic prosciutto.
Substitute beef broth and balsamic vinegar for wine if you prefer alcohol-free cooking.
The key to tender beef is to seal the pot with foil or parchment when braising.
Make this dish ahead by browning the rolls before refrigerating or freezing.